MANILA, Philippines – Simula ngayong Lunes, Enero 24, ay tatanggap na ng aplikasyon ang Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) para sa P5,000 one-time cash assistance sa mga manggagawang labis na naapektuhan ng paghihigpit ng COVID-19 restrictions.

Ayon sa DOLE, P1 bilyon ang inilaang pondo para sa program na ang layon ay matulungan ang mga manggagawang lubhang naapektuhan sa pagsasailalim sa Alert Level 3 sa mga lugar na may mataas na COVID-19 cases.

Halos 200,000 manggagawa ang maaaring makatanggap ng ayuda sa ilalim ng COVID-19 Adjustment Measure Program (CAMP), ayon sa DOLE.

Pero paglilinaw ni DOLE Assistant Secretary Dominique Rubia-Tutay, hindi makakasama sa mga beneficiary ang mga empleyado ng gobyerno na nasa flexible work arrangement.

“Uunahin po natin sa priority iyong mga manggagawa na naapektuhan ng permamnent closure or retrenchment,” ayon sa opisyal.

“Kasama rin po sa aayudahan natin or bibigyan ng financial assistance iyong mga manggagawa under temporary closure,” dagdag pa niya.

Sa mga manggagawang nais mag-avail ng programa, maaari silang magsumite ng aplikasyon sa DOLE sa pamamagitan ng reports.dole.gov.ph.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said it has tapped the Philippine General Hospital to help manage the clinical services of the country’s first hospital for overseas Filipino workers (OFW).

In a statement, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between DOLE and the PGH last Friday at the nearly completed OFW Hospital in San Fernando, Pampanga,

Bello expressed optimism over the partnership, saying “the expertise of the government’s top medical institution will add quality to the service and prestige to the name of the facility meant to provide the health requirements of OFWs.”

“In serving the health needs of our modern-day heroes, we need the champion in saving lives. Thank you PGH for helping us,” Bello added.

Under the MOU, PGH will be helping the OFW Hospital in the training of clinical and administrative personnel, planning and acquisition of hospital equipment, and formulation of clinical and fiscal process flow.

It will also guide the hospital in the creation of electronic medical records and hospital information systems, and planning of infrastructure layout in relation to clinical services.

Aside from PGH, DOLE said the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), Bloomberry Cultural Foundation Incorporated (BCFI), and the Pampanga Provincial Government also helped in constructing the 100-bed hospital building.

The construction of the OFW hospital is scheduled to be finished in March this year, it added.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced that work in its main office in Intramuros, Manila, and its regional office in the National Capital Region (NCR) have been suspended on January 14 (Friday) and January 17 (Monday).

In a statement, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the work suspension order was due to the surge of COVID-19 cases, particularly in NCR, and “the increasing number of cases in the department.”

Bello said that 128 DOLE officials and staff have been infected as of January 13. This accounts for about 21 percent of DOLE’s central office personnel of around 600.

“Services of the Department of Labor and Employment in the central office in Intramuros and its regional office in the National Capital Region will not be available to the public on Friday, January 14, and Monday, January 17,” the department said in an advisory.

In a memorandum issued on Thursday, January 13, Bello directed all heads of offices, services, and bureaus, including the NCR regional office to resume work on January 18.

Earlier in the week, Bello directed all DOLE offices and attached agencies in areas with a surging number of COVID cases to implement alternative work arrangements, including work from home, for their personnel.

“Skeletal [sic] workforce shall be limited to those performing or providing essential services,” Bello said in an administrative order issued on Tuesday.

The work arrangements took effect on Wednesday and will last until January 30, he added.

The flexible work arrangements, however, do not cover personnel in the offices of the Secretary, undersecretaries and assistant secretaries, and the office of the directors.

Bello urged all DOLE personnel to continue observing public health standards and other safety protocols in the workplace to help curb the spread of COVID-19.